Family Drives Success at C&J
C&J is a family business. Jim Jalbert’s father started C&J as a Logan Airport taxi service 50 years ago and now Jim’s sons Brooks and Cameron are getting involved. With a clear commitment to family and community—not to mention the New York City route—C&J is a natural partner for our holiday show, Annie. With that in mind, Brooks Jalbert and Cameron Colen took a moment to share with us their perspective on family, tradition, and the future of C&J.
You two are not the only ones keeping C&J in the family; other team members have also brought family members into the fold. How does this influence the culture?
BJ: When a member of the C&J team brings their family under the organizational umbrella, that family dynamic doesn’t exactly get left behind. The result is that the day to day communications and interactions within the C&J team become more human. In a family environment like ours, authentic and open communication is commonplace. We joke around with each other, we support each other, and we are willing to initiate the difficult discussions that enable us to grow as a team and company.
CC: C&J has always been a family-run company and we treat our employees like family. I think that’s what attracts others to join our team: it’s a friendly and collaborative environment where people enjoy coming to work each day and I think the family dynamic allows for continued consistency as the company progresses. Our company culture is centered around treating others with respect, attention to detail, and to really care—care for what we do each day, care for the people who ride our buses, and care for our teammates.
C&J is an active supporter of many organizations across the region. Why you are so committed to sharing your success?
BJ: At C&J we are committed to sharing success because we believe that to be a fundamental purpose of success itself. Businesses are meant to work for people. We want to create not only economic value, but also social value. Providing a responsive and effective transportation service gives us the resources to work towards this purpose, but it’s on us to share them in such a way that strengthens our community.
Does the Jalbert family have any holiday traditions (beyond attending a performance of the Ogunquit Playhouse production at The Music Hall, of course)?
BJ: Last year we all got red matching onesies to wear on Christmas Eve. I’m not confident that this is an established tradition yet, but it will be if I have anything to say about it.
CC: Melted cheese on Christmas morning. It’s lit. Our mom gets “Rat Trap” cheddar from Calef’s in Barrington, melts it on a big hot plate, and we scoop it onto a good piece of bread. It’s simple but incredible (much like C&J’s bus service).
What’s next for C&J?
BJ & CC: The next couple years we have a few really exciting projects coming down the pipeline. We can’t divulge too many details just yet, but there’s plenty for our customers and the Seacoast community to look forward to.
For more about C&J, visit RideCJ.com.